To request a South Carolina criminal records check by mail, download the SLED background check form (officially the Criminal Records Check Form) as a fillable PDF from catch.sled.sc.gov, complete the subject’s identifying information and your reason for the request, and mail it to SLED with a $25 payment and a self-addressed stamped envelope. If you’d rather skip the paperwork, the same $25 check can be run instantly online through the CATCH portal at the same web address.
What the Form Asks For
The Criminal Records Check Form runs on basic identifying details about the person being checked:
- Full legal name
- Date of birth
- Social Security Number
- Gender
- Race
- Reason for the request (for example, personal use or general employment)
Print clearly. Illegible handwriting is the most common reason mail-in requests get delayed or returned. The name and date of birth you enter should match a government-issued ID exactly, because SLED runs a name-based search and any mismatch can miss a real record or pull the wrong person’s file. The CATCH system uses a “starts with” match on last name, first name, and date of birth, and it searches the Social Security Number if you provide one.1South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Citizens Access to Criminal Histories
The Social Security Number is technically optional, but including it helps distinguish between people who share a common name. If the person has ever used a maiden name, alias, or nickname in a legal proceeding, search those variations separately. The system won’t automatically cross-reference them.
How to Submit the Form by Mail
Once the form is filled in, mail it with three things:
- Payment of $25. SLED accepts business checks, certified or cashier’s checks, and money orders made payable to SLED. Personal checks and cash are not accepted.
- A self-addressed stamped envelope with correct postage and your return address already filled in. SLED uses this envelope to return your results.
- A written note stating any special instructions, such as a request for notarized or certified results.
Send everything to:
SLED Records Department
PO Box 21398
Columbia, SC 29221-13981South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Citizens Access to Criminal Histories
Expect results roughly seven to ten business days after SLED receives your request.
The Faster Alternative: The CATCH Portal
If speed matters more than a paper trail, you can skip the form entirely. The CATCH portal at catch.sled.sc.gov lets you type the subject’s name, date of birth, and optional Social Security Number directly into the search fields, select a reason, and pay the $25 fee by credit or debit card. Results are available for download once the payment processes, with no waiting period.1South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Citizens Access to Criminal Histories
Every character matters online. A misspelled name or transposed digit sends the search in the wrong direction, and because the system matches on what “starts with” your text, a partial last name can return results for multiple people. Type the full legal name as it appears on official documents.
Requesting a Notarized or Certified Copy
SLED does not automatically notarize or certify results. If you need a notarized or certified copy for a court filing, a professional licensing board, or an out-of-state submission, you have to state that explicitly in your request.1South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Citizens Access to Criminal Histories For a mail-in submission, include a written note with your form. If you forget, you’ll receive standard results and may have to resubmit and pay again for the notarized version.
Reduced and Waived Fees
The standard $25 fee is set by state law under S.C. Code ยง 23-3-115 and applies to both online and mail-in requests.2South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Title 23 Chapter 3 – Section 23-3-115
Charitable organizations pay $8 per search, but only when checking their own volunteers, mentors, members, or employees acting in an official capacity for the organization.2South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Title 23 Chapter 3 – Section 23-3-115 Qualifying organizations include 501(c)(3) nonprofits (including charter schools and private schools), houses of worship such as churches, synagogues, and mosques, organizations registered under South Carolina’s Solicitation of Charitable Funds Act, and local parks and recreation programs operating through a municipality, county, or the SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism.
To get the reduced rate, the organization must submit a Charitable Account Application Form to SLED along with IRS documentation of its 501(c)(3) status or other qualifying proof.3South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Login to My Account – SLED CATCH An approved organization cannot charge the volunteer or employee more than $8 or tack on any extra fees beyond what SLED requires.2South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Title 23 Chapter 3 – Section 23-3-115
School districts pay nothing when running a criminal record search on a substitute teacher on behalf of the district.2South Carolina Legislature. South Carolina Code Title 23 Chapter 3 – Section 23-3-115
What Your Results Will Show
Results come back as one of two outcomes: a “No Record” response meaning SLED’s database contains no criminal history matching your search criteria, or a “Criminal History” report listing any records found.1South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Citizens Access to Criminal Histories
Know the limits of what you’re getting. This is a state-level, name-based search of South Carolina records only. It won’t show federal convictions, crimes committed in other states, or records sealed under another jurisdiction. Because the search matches on names rather than fingerprints, SLED warns that results “can differ from those of a fingerprint-based search.”1South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Citizens Access to Criminal Histories A “No Record” result means no match was found for the name and date of birth you entered, not that the person has no criminal history anywhere.
For applications where accuracy is critical, such as professional licensing or concealed weapon permits, a fingerprint-based search is more reliable. SLED uses IdentoGO by IDEMIA as its exclusive live scan fingerprinting provider in South Carolina; appointments are scheduled through identogo.com.4IdentoGO. South Carolina Services Fingerprint-based checks are separate from the CATCH form and carry their own fees set by the requesting agency or licensing board.
Fixing an Error on Your Record
If your background check comes back with something wrong, such as a charge that was dismissed but still shows as open, a record belonging to someone else, or outdated disposition data, you have the right to challenge it. SLED states that “subjects have a right to correct erroneous criminal records information pertaining to them.”1South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Citizens Access to Criminal Histories
Contact SLED’s Public Dissemination Unit to start the correction:
- Phone: 803-896-1443, Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Email: SLEDCATCHAcct@sled.sc.gov
Have a copy of your background check results ready when you call. Corrections usually require documentation such as court records showing a dismissal, proof of identity to resolve a name mix-up, or a disposition report from the arresting agency. The more specific your supporting paperwork, the faster SLED can update the record.